Measuring in at 4,465 mm long, 1,942 mm wide and 1,273 mm tall, with a 2,704 mm long-wheelbase, the Vantage sits on the same bonded aluminium structure as the DB11, but 70% of its components are unique. It also takes a different approach in styling to its larger sibling.

Design-wise, the new Vantage has a sculptured, athletic shape, clearly displaying many design details from the bespoke DB10 specifically created for the James Bond film, Spectre. With minimal front and rear overhangs, muscular flanks and broad haunches, the new Vantage is certainly not short on presence, and it looks especially sharp to the eye in the metal.

The interior, meanwhile, features significant gains in occupant space and headroom compared to its predecessor, and stowage space is also up, with useable room behind the seats and generous double-tier storage areas to be found. The boot, meanwhile, offers 350 litres of cargo storage space.

New rotary and toggle style controls help snazz up the cabin, with the PRND transmission buttons now arranged in a triangular formation, clustering major controls into clearly defined zones. Speaking of switches, there’s no shortage of these on the centre console for the button-loving crowd.

Standard equipment includes sports seats, keyless start/stop, a tyre pressure monitoring system, dual-zone climate control, park assist and front/rear parking sensors. Other features include a version of Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND Online infotainment system with an eight-inch central LCD screen and an Aston Martin audio system.

As standard, the Vantage comes shod with Alcantara upholstery, but a full-leather interior is available as an option. and there are plenty of other embellishments to be found, including satin silver accents and gloss black trim as well as saddle leather door pulls.

There’s only one engine for the car at present, and that’s a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG, the M177 as seen in AMG 63-based applications. New engine mounts and a lower-profile wet sump help sit the engine lower in the Vantage, and the mill has been retuned – along with the intake and exhaust – to provide a more AM-styled character and sonic signature.

Output numbers are 510 PS at 6,000 rpm and 685 Nm of torque from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm, and power is sent along to the rear wheels via a rear-mounted ZF eight-speed automatic transaxle. Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 3.6 seconds and a 314 km/h top speed.

Tech bits include a speed-sensitive electric power steering, an adaptive damping system with Skyhook, offering Sport, Sport Plus and Track drive modes. Also on, DSC, Dynamic Torque Vectoring and, for the first time on an Aston Martin, an electronic locking rear differential (E-Diff) that works alongside the stability control system to react based on the car’s behaviour.

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

We don’t have THE MOST EXPENSIVE cars in the world, don’t exaggerate. Our duties and taxes on cars depend on the segment and engine size. Our budget car segments could be cheaper, but they are not in the realm of impossible to afford. Brands like Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini are not interested in making cars that cater the budget minded customers. No matter which country they are at and what tax structure they may have, these cars will always be affordable only for the top 10-20%. You’re never going to find anyone earning USD300,000 a year in the US buying a new Aston Martin, even if according to you they should be more “affordable”. Not if they’re interested in buying a house, save for their children’s school and college, pay their own student debt, and have savings for retirement.

Singapore has one of the most expensive tax structure for cars in the world that is not even limited to any sort of car. Even a Perodua Axia there costs over RM200,000.
I am not hearing any of Malaysia’s multi-millionaires voicing out about how their Bentley, 2 Mercedes, and 1 Ferrari are costing them so much.

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